Co-knitted Polymeric Mesh for Hernia Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polymeric meshes for medical applications, such as hernia repairs, lack adequate strength retention and compliance, leading to inadequate tissue integration and long-term stability, with fast-absorbing materials providing insufficient strength beyond a few weeks and slow-degrading materials showing little interest, resulting in the reliance on non-absorbable materials that fail to facilitate proper wound healing.
Innovation Solution
A polymeric mesh comprising co-knitted absorbable and non-absorbable fibers, where the absorbable fiber degrades quickly and the non-absorbable fiber provides long-term stability, with the mesh structure designed to facilitate initial stiffness for tissue integration and later extensibility as the absorbable component degrades, ensuring load transfer to the surrounding tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fast-absorbing polyglycolide-based fiber is used, then the mesh provides initial strength for wound stability, but the breaking strength retention becomes inadequate beyond three to four weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh is segmented into two distinct fiber populations: fast-absorbing polyglycolide-based fibers that provide initial strength and slow-absorbing high-lactide fibers that maintain strength long-term. This segmentation allows each fiber type to perform its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between initial strength provision and prolonged strength retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh employs a composite material structure combining fast-absorbing and slow-absorbing fibers in a single integrated construct. This composite approach enables the mesh to exhibit both short-term high strength characteristics and long-term durability, simultaneously achieving initial wound stability and sustained strength retention beyond four weeks.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If non-absorbable materials are used, then the mesh maintains long-term strength, but the mesh lacks the ability to transfer mechanical loads to developing tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh incorporates dynamic elements through the fast-absorbing fiber component that progressively degrades over time. This dynamic degradation allows the mesh to transition from a load-bearing structure to a load-transferring structure, enabling mechanical loads to be gradually transferred to the developing tissue while maintaining long-term structural integrity through the slow-absorbing fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh utilizes parameter changes in fiber degradation rates to achieve different functional phases. The fast-absorbing fibers provide initial mechanical support with high strength parameters, while their progressive degradation changes the mechanical parameters of the mesh, enabling load transfer to tissue. The slow-absorbing fibers maintain appropriate strength parameters throughout the healing process.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If slow-degrading high-lactide fiber is used, then the mesh maintains strength longer, but it generates little to no clinical interest
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh merges the advantages of both fast-absorbing and slow-absorbing fiber types into a single integrated structure. The slow-absorbing high-lactide fibers provide prolonged strength retention, while their combination with fast-absorbing fibers creates a synergistic effect that enhances overall clinical effectiveness, addressing the limitations of using slow-degrading fibers alone.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mesh provides initial structural stiffness for wound stability, followed by gradual load transfer as the absorbable component degrades, ensuring compatibility with the surrounding tissue's mechanical properties, minimizing recurrence and promoting effective wound healing.
Implementation Method 1
the absorbable polymeric fiber degrades quickly
Implementation Method 2
the absorbable polymeric fiber degrades quickly
Data Source
AI summary
A polymeric mesh is disclosed. The polymeric mesh comprises an absorbable polymeric fiber and a non-absorbable polymeric fiber knitted together to form an interdependent, co-knit mesh structure. The polymeric mesh may further comprise an anti-adhesive coating and/or a radio/ultrasound opaque additive. Also disclosed are methods for making the polymeric mesh and methods for using the polymeric mesh.